Overview

El Pital mountain is the highest point in El Salvador. It is located 12 kilometers from the town of La Palma and at a height of 2730 metres it is the highest point of the Salvadoran territory. It is a mountain in the middle of a cloudy forest that has an average annual temperature of 10ºC.

From the upper reaches, you can gaze miles north into neighboring Honduras and Guatemala and south toward the sprawling Embalse Cerrón Grande reservoir and the massive San Salvador volcano that broods over the capital.

El Pital, once a rebel lair in El Salvador's highlands, is now an unexpected haven of natural beauty and outdoors pursuits. The mountain have two peaks and a camping zone in the summit.

The views were nice, but I was not expecting to share the road with so many cars. The road is not just a hiking trail, but an actual road. There was not a steady stream of cars, but enough to be a bit annoying.

Cerro El Pital, El Salvador highest mountain

Getting There

Catch the bus N-109 to San Ignacio, Chalatenango (3 hours from San Salvador city).

B) Easy route
From San Ignacio take a bus to Las Pilas, at the end pavemented road is Rio Chiquito start to hikking there.
(45 MINUTES)

C) Woosy route
From Rio Chiquito, get in car to camping area, then hike to the summit.
(3 MINUTES)

**14 more routes all into privates farms.

Honduras regions viewed from El Pital

Red Tape

The price for entry to the very top has gone up to $2 per person.

Camping

Many camping areas, mostly of them into private farms. Two of them are closer to the summit.

A- At the end of the road.
HUGE!!!! camping area with hundreds of tents every weekends.
A lot of people, dogs searching your tents and many STUPID people with fancy cars with super-sounds system to annoying everybody.

B- Closer to the top
Is a camping area much more quiet, without cars togheter. recommended.